Voluntary Action Camden e-bulletin 11th March 2016

International Women’s Day; Camden Intergenerational Network newsletter; Introducing the Voluntary Sector; Free workshop on trafficking for labour exploitation; Kentish Town Festival; New Models of Care: Working together for a Healthy London; Mayor’s £700K Crowdfunding Challenge + jobs, volunteers, events, training, offers and resources.

Ann Wolfe, VAC’s one of the Mental Health Community Development Workers in the Mental Health Project based in VAC talks about supporting Mental Health Champions to deliver wellbeing workshops such as ‘Sleep Hygiene’ – or getting a good night’s sleep. We know that getting enough quality sleep is crucial for both our physical and mental wellbeing and some small and simple changes might help us get there. Read the full blog post on the VAC website.

International Working Women’s Day Reclaim International Women’s Day
Saturday 12th March at the NUT Headquarters in Hamilton House Central London WC1
What can you do to make this a great celebration of those fantastic women who fought for suffrage and equality and honour working women across the world?
Register a place by emailing s.aitouaziz@hotmail.co.uk more details here.

International Women’s Day Event Live. Love. Laugh.
Saturday 12 March, 11am – 1pm at Westminster City Hall, 17 Floor, 64 Victoria Street, SW1E 6QP
Inner Space Celebrates International Women’s Day – A free event for women by women
Are you living the life you want? What’s holding you back? Life takes guts and heart. Live boldly and you’ll have more fun living, even if it’s a bit scary!
Are your relationships happy? Can you love without any strings attached? Love yourself and others unconditionally and you’ll want to thrive and be incredible together.
How happy are you? Do you take the time to laugh? Smile and laugh wholeheartedly. It’ll make you feel good, look good, and do good. It really is you best accessory.
Free Event. Registration Essential: event@innerspace.org.uk www.innerspace.org.uk 020 7836 6688

Camden’s Got Talent
Help us raise money for Castlehaven Community Centre and enjoy an exciting talent show for children together with Theatretrain Camden. The Camden’s Got Talent Event will showcase 20 acts by children and young people from Theatretrain Camden, an art exhibition by local artists, face painting and scrumptious refreshments throughout the event that parents/carers and children may enjoy. Tickets are avaliable for only £4pp or £15 for a family of four.
Sunday 20th March 2016, 12.00pm At Holiday Inn Camden Lock, 30 Jamestown Road, NW1 7BY
Tickets are available from uk.virginmoneygiving.com/camdensgottalent

Camden Intergenerational Network newsletter March 2016
The latest Network newsletter is available now, with details of The next Camden Intergenerational Network meeting; London Intergenerational Network meeting; Camden Intergenerational Network Steering Group; Intergenerational fairness inquiry and much more.

Introducing the Voluntary Sector
Do you feel that you want to learn more about the voluntary sector then this short 8-week course is for you. The course will guide you through some of the distinctive features and values of the voluntary sector, how organisations are funded and involve volunteers and other ‘stakeholders’ in their work. It will also provide you with knowledge and skills you can apply to your own work or volunteering as well as your everyday life. You can progress at your own pace over the 8 weeks; each week will take a minimum of 3 hours of your time.
The course features interviews with Martha Lane Fox, the Chancellor of The Open University and a significant figure in the voluntary sector. You will hear Martha talking about her own charity, Go ON UK, as well as her involvement in numerous other voluntary organisations. Full details here.

Free workshop on trafficking for labour exploitation
Thursday 7th April 2016
Join Supporting Women’s Project (Evelyn Oldfield Unit) in conjunction with FLEX on the 7th April 2016 to learn about trafficking for labour exploitation, including how to identify victims and what special assistance is available for identified victims.

Kentish Town Festival is happening on Saturday 21st May 2016, 1pm-7pm.
The festival is an annual family-friendly music and arts event celebrating the diversity and uniqueness of Kentish Town! Enjoy a variety of musical, spoken performances, crafts, dance and drama around this years theme of ‘Local Heroes’.
Last year over 1000 people came to enjoy the festivities in Cantelowes Park and along Busby Place, NW5. Local charities, businesses and organisations are invited to apply to perform or have a stall along Busby Place, which will be closed to traffic on 21st May.
To get involved visit www.ktcc.org.uk/events/ktfestival16. For all other festival enquiries please email projects@ktcc.org.uk.

New Models of Care: Working together for a Healthy London – 23rd March
There are still some places left
Venue: London Met, Great Hall, The Rocket Complex, London N7 8DB
More information, programme and link to registration here.
The event will focus on elements of the new models of care, including integrated care, systems resilience, social prescribing, commissioning models, research & impact.

Free training, outings and events for unpaid carers in Camden
For a full list of events of carers in Camden please visit the Camden Carers website.

Healthwatch Camden
Latest Information DIgest is on the Healthwatch Camden website.
Catch up with the latest Camden news and what’s happening on Our Blog

The Camden Capacity Building Bulletin is produced monthly, targeting the community and voluntary sector in Camden. It provides up to date/recently live information and news on funding and training. To access the latest information please follow the Link www.camden.gov.uk/cbbulletin

VAC, Greenpeace, Somers Town Futures/Big Local, KOVE, Ageing Better in Camden, Ransackers, and Camden PA are recruiting. See Jobs and Volunteers section below.

Camden Shares. The website for exchanges in Camden. www.camdenshares.org.uk

You can join in on Facebook. Like us if you like us.

Follow all the Camden Voluntary Sector news on OneCamden on Twitter.

You can read more about all of these stories on our news page at www.vac.org.uk/new

Outrage over Charity Commission chief’s ‘complicity’ in bid to limit voluntary sector lobbying
Chairman of Charity Commission urged trustee to meet head of a free market, anti-charity, thinktank that receives funding from tobacco industry and made a donation to the minister who announced the gagging clause.
The chairman of the Charity Commission has been accused of actively helping a leading critic of charities who inspired a controversial new law curbing their activities. Again recent right wing appointees to the Charity Commission, Shawcross and Prins (part of the stick-to-the-knitting circle) have been caught actively working against the sector. This time their actions even surpass the notorious Lords ‘ambush’ letter that ‘torpedoed’ a Lords amendment to the Lobbying Bill that all charities wanted.

Charity Tax
The Commission announced at a public meeting in Southampton that there will be a consultation on charging charities up to £23 million for registration and returns, but a date has not been announced. NAVCA believes that charging is wrong and that the consultation will prove phoney. See the response on the NAVCA website.

The Ban on Charities Lobbying Government extends to Academics with Research Grants
TES article on why a ban on researchers speaking to politicians and policymakers fails the taxpayers who fund them. Full story at the TES website.

EU referendum guidance
The Charity Commission has issued regulatory guidance to charities on engagement with the referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union. Any charity planning any activity relating to the referendum should read this guidance.
The guidance has been attacked by many charities who feel that it has been drafted to dissuade charities from campaigning. It has been seen as a continuation of moves to prevent charity campaigning.

See the Funding pages on VAC’s website for all the latest information.

£700K Crowdfunding Challenge
You could receive a pledge from the Mayor of up to £20,000 to support your crowdfunding campaign on Spacehive.
For businesses, it’s an opportunity to discover how you can use this initiative to back projects that matter to you whilst making the city better for everyone.
You’ll be joining a growing number of organisations – including BT, Barclays, GLL, Hyde and Keatons – embracing civic crowdfunding by co-funding projects, or offering their skills or in-kind contributions. More information at spacehive.com

Action Grants – Deadline Today!
Ageing Better in Camden and Age UK Camden have £2500 to give away to older people’s groups in the borough. The Action Grants scheme gives groups of older people the opportunity to do things for themselves or the wider community.
To qualify for Action Grants, groups must have:
~ An income of less than £30,000 per year,
~ And ¾ of members must be Camden residents.
~ The activity must be run by older people themselves
Grants are for £100, and can be spent on running costs, one-off costs or equipment. If there is excessive demand, priority will be given to activities supporting older people who are socially isolated or at risk of social isolation. The application form is very easy and only two sides.
The deadline for applications is 9am Friday 11th March
For more information please contact: ageingbetterincamden@ageukcamden.org.uk or call 02072390400

The Council’s new Strategic Partners Fund for the local voluntary sector
The web-page www.camden.gov.uk/strategicpartnersfund explains the process which led to the creation of this fund, and includes everything you need to apply to the fund. The technical problems with the application forms have now been resolved and the revised forms are now on the website.
The web page contains details of the fund, application forms and Handy Guides and should answer most questions about the Strategic Partners Fund. You can find a summary of the questions and answers about the fund.

Greggs Foundation new Environmental Fund
Greggs Foundation new Environmental Fund which is awarding grants of up to £2,500 and £10,000. The preference is always small, community-based organisations helping people in need.
Improving People’s lives by improving their environment aims to make a difference to people in need at the heart of their local communities.
Full details at http://www.greggsfoundation.org.uk/environmental-grants

Postcode Local Trust
Small Projects Funding Guide. In 2016, the Trust will invite applications that encourage lasting benefits by bringing people together to improve local ecology and habitats, encourage bio-diversity and benefit the wider environment.
Registered charities can apply from £500 – £20,000 (£10,000 in Wales) for projects meeting the above remit, whilst other organisations may apply for up to £2,000. Full details at the Postcode Local Trust website.

Lloyds Bank Foundation
Invest provides longer term core or delivery funding for charities which meet the programme aim and are delivering clear outcomes as a result of their work.
We fund ‘core’ organisational costs (including running costs and salaries). By ‘core’ costs we mean those related to the day to day running of your charity. We also fund costs associated with the direct delivery of your work. Full details here.

Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme
Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland Social Entrepreneurs Programme gives social entrepreneurs the best possible chance of success by providing access to support and funding. To date the Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme has supported 750 social entrepreneurs.
The programme will be open for applications again from 1st February until 21st March 2016. There are two courses on offer, Start Up and Scale Up.
~ Start Up will help you get a new organisation up and running
~ Scale Up will help you grow a sustainable social enterprise

Don’t forget to sign up to Funding Central for free email funding alerts. Go to www.fundingcentral.org.uk/

Governance Course for Trustees
5th May – 9th June. Thursdays 17.30-20.30
Short course for members of governing bodies (boards of trustees/ management committees) or anybody who is interested in developing the knowledge and skills required to be a member of a governing body in the voluntary and community sector. With the knowledge gained from this course you can become an effective participant in the governance of new and existing organisations. For further details contact Roz.nyugi @marywardcentre.ac.uk 020 7269 6033. Further details and to enrol on line www.marywardcentre.ac.uk

VAC’s Mental Health Training Programme for BMER groups
Are you a BMER group or do you work with BMER communities?
For more information about our any of our courses, please go to https://vac.org.uk/events/category/health-mental-health/. Click on the course you are interested in and follow the instructions to book your place and pay by card (if applicable). The charge for our Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid training courses is heavily subsidised at only £25 per person. All other mental health workshops are free.
Please note that VAC can only accept bookings from organisations working with BMER communities based in Camden, or which serve Camden BMER residents. Places are limited on each course to a maximum of two people per organisation. If you have any queries, please contact us on our team email address: mentalhealthteam@vac.org.uk

VAC has a full programme of courses coming up: Click here to find out more. All courses are £25 for members (unless otherwise stated).

Moneytalk Camden North – subsidised Financial Education Facilitator Training, 27/28 April or 18 & 25 May
Moneytalk Camden North is a new project based on the award winning financial literacy resource Made of Money, developed by anti-poverty charity Quaker Social Action. It aims to help groups talk about money and its impact on their lives, as well as learn vital money management skills.
Moneytalk Camden North takes a different and innovative approach to financial literacy: it works holistically- with the whole person and the whole household. The resources aim to build confidence, resilience and help people identify their own values, attitudes and emotions around money, as well as covering basics like budgeting, borrowing and debt. We recognise that unless people’s own situations are explored and confidence is increased, behaviour will not change long–term. The resources are all provided, fully reusable, fun and informative- so it hardly feels like you are doing money training. We will train you to use the resources and approach to support your own client groups.
This is a two year project and we are running our first 2-day comprehensive trainings for you on 27/28 April and 18 & 25 May click here to find out more and download a booking form.
Contact: mtcn@qsa.org.uk tel: 020 8983 5047

Take part in Cleaner Air Action Days
Camden Council is getting involved in an exciting new London-wide Cross River Partnership project to drive down air pollution in the borough. We’re currently looking for Change Makers – a team of volunteers to help deliver this.
The Clean Air Action Fortnight will take place at the beginning of March and will focus on #noidling across London – asking drivers in local pollution hotspots to turn their engines off when stationary to reduce dirty air from their exhausts.
A free training session and materials will be provided in each area of Inner London. As a Change Maker, you’ll be helping to tackle a major public health issue as well as making your local environment a cleaner, healthier place to breathe, live and work.
If you’re interested in getting involved, email adam.webber@camden.gov.uk

Young Women’s Information Day at Clean Break on Friday, 18th March 2016
We are a safe women-only theatre, education and new writing company based in Kentish Town, in the north-west of London. However on this occasion we welcome men who are working with women and are likely to make referrals to our service.
We offer FREE education and training in the arts specifically for women who have experience of the criminal justice system and or are at risk of offending due to alcohol/substance misuse or mental heath needs. This is an invitation, for interested women, and you or colleagues working with these women.
There will be taster sessions for service users, alongside an information workshop for service providers. This will be followed by an afternoon of student performances, personal testimonies and not to mention the networking lunch.
General information about Clean Break is available www.cleanbreak.org.uk
10:30am-1pm: taster workshops
1pm – 3pm: lunch followed by performances
Places are limited. To book your place: please email education@cleanbreak.org.uk for a booking form. Clean Break, 2 Patshull Road, London, NW5 2LB

Co-designing the Greenwood CIL Specification
Camden Disability Action and Camden Council invite you to join a series of workshops at Charlie Ratchford Centre, Belmont Street, London, NW1 8HF
Wednesday 16th March, 5-7pm
Thursday 31st March, 5-7pm
Greenwood Place in Kentish Town will be the site of a new community resource centre and home to Camden’s first ever Centre for Independent Living (CIL). We are now working together to design the specification for the service that the CIL will provide. We are designing the CIL’s:
• Service offer
• Outcomes and objectives
• Values and principles
• Ways of working
• …amongst other elements
We have held one workshop already and we hope that you will join us to continue this work.
To book a place, please contact: Phone: 0207 284 6550, Email: info@vac.org.uk
Or online at Eventbrite : https://greenwood-cil-workshops.eventbrite.co.uk
When you book, please let us know if you have any specific communication or access requirements.

Volunteer Coordinators’ Forum and AGM
Wednesday 16th March at West Euston Partnership 1-3.30pm
This is your chance to hear what we’ve been up to this year, and our plans for the future.
VCC will also be formally launching Team Up (a corporate volunteering service), which will swiftly be followed by our Volunteer Coodinators’ Forum ‘How To Deliver A Successful Corporate Volunteering Day’. And we’ll finish the day with networking and refreshments.
Book your place for all of this through Eventbrite.

Winter Volunteering Fair
Our fairs are a perfect way to meet people who want to volunteer in Camden.
Wednesday 20th April, 12-2pm – The Foundling Museum
And you can easily book your places via Eventbrite here.
If you have any questions about this, contact Rupal by email, phone 020 7424 9990

Mind Matters Winter Events 2016
Mind in Camden is hosting a series of winter talks and discussions and an all day workshop for people working or volunteering in mental health services across London. These are FREE events to help stimulate and support you in your work. Please book on as many different events as you like using http://tinyurl.com/mind-matters2016. As places are limited please book.
Nicky Forsyth – Talk for Health: therapy without therapists’
Thursday 24 March: Mind in Camden, Barnes House, 9-15 Camden Road, NW1 9LQ 6.30pm-8.15pm
Rosalie Dores – mindfulness: present to self, present to others.
Saturday 26th March: 10.30am-4pm

The adult community learning team is running Free Everyday Computer Skills workshops in more venues including:
• Kentish Town Library (NW5 2AA) – Thursdays 10 – 12
• Kilburn Library (NW6 5UH) – Tuesdays 10 – 11.45
• Latin American House (NW6 4TA) – Wednesdays 10 – 12
• Adult Learning Centre, Netley Campus (NW1 3EX) Tuesdays 1-3
The workshops provide support to residents who may have limited or no computer skills to access Council services and information online – including setting up a Camden account, accessing information and advice on care and support via the Camden Care Choices website, registering with Universal Jobmatch, booking doctor’s appointments, completing benefit applications – and much more.
No need to book. They can come along for just one session – or as many as you like.
We can adapt the workshops to include content appropriate to your clients – just get in touch Email: adultlearning@camden.gov.uk Phone: 020 7974 2148

KOVE Bench to Bench Walks
Programme of five gentle healthy-living walks for over 60’s with community seating in Kilburn and West Hampstead . All Tuesday’s at 1.30pm.
Tuesday 15th March The Park you never knew was there! Meet at Abbey Community Centre, Belsize Road, NW6
Tuesday 5 April Famous Faces. Meet outside Kilburn High Road Station NW6 5UA
Enquiries to Mel Wright, KOVE Tel: 07539390786 Email: melwillwright@gmail.com c/o Kingsgate Resource Centre, 208 Webheath, Palmerston Road, NW6 2JU
All walks are free and we finish with refreshments at a nearby café.

New Courses @ Maiden Lane Community Centre
156 St Paul’s Crescent, NW1 9XZ To book a place call 020 7267 9586
Tuesdays 10am-12pm – MS Word skills for work and life
Tuesday 1 – 3pm – Improve your internet and email skills
Wednesdays 10am-3pm – Create a website with WordPress
Wednesdays 10am-12pm Starts 24th February Introduction to Photoshop

Camden and Islington Recovery College
The Spring 2016 prospectus is now ready and is available online at http://www.candi.nhs.uk/our-services/education-and-employment/recovery-college.

London for All
London for All / LVSC have a full programme of courses available for the voluntary sector. Go to the London for All website for full details.

Camden Carers’ Service
Has a full range of events and activities for unpaid carers in Camden. Find out more on the Camden Carers’ Service website www.camdencs.org.uk/activities

Don’t forget that Camden TDS run a full programme of course which are subsidised or free for voluntary sector partner organisations. There is a link to a list of partner organisations on the home page.

Find more Training Opportunities at www.vac.org.uk

Somers Town Futures: Can you help to deliver the Big Local Plan in Somers Town?
Somers Town Futures is the new name for the Somers Town Big Local. A lottery funded £1m investment over the next 10 years.
The Somers Town Futures Partnership is looking for 2 talented individuals to manage and oversee our ambitious first year plan. We are recruiting a Community Business Development Manager and an Administrator / Support Worker.
The posts are based in Somers Town but will be employed by Voluntary Action Camden.
Somers Town residents who meet all the job description and person specification criteria will automatically be interviewed for the posts.
Closing Dates: 12pm Monday 4th April (Manager post) and 12pm Monday 11th April (Admin post).
Interviews: week starting 11th April (Manager post) and week starting 2nd May (Admin post).
There will be a presentation and Q&A about these jobs at the Somers Town Job Hub on Thursday 24th March at 2pm
To download an application pack www.vac.org.uk/jobs or contact acharles@vac.org.uk 02072846553
OR visit the Job Hub at Somers Town Community Centre, 150 Ossulston Street. NW1 1EE.
Voluntary Action Camden is an equal opportunities employer and has a fully accessible building.

Volunteer Data Entry Role to Update VAC Database
Role Title: Data Entry Volunteer
Responsible to: ICT Training and Communications Support Worker
Salary Scale: Voluntary position
Hours: 1-2 days per week – max 14 hours/week
Location: VAC, 293 – 299 Kentish Town Road, London NW5 2TJ
The VAC internal database is a customer Relationship Management database which holds records of voluntary and community organisations (VCO’s) in Camden. VCO’s that are actively operating in Camden are published on VAC’s public-facing directory of VCO’s. The VAC directory is called OneCamden. Members of the public can search OneCamden for local voluntary sector organisations and filter the results by services offered, for example: community centre, health, legal advice etc. VAC requires a volunteer to help keep the database and OneCamden directory up-to-date so that new and existing published records are continually checked for accuracy so that the public has the most up-to-date contact information to search for and contact local Camden groups.
Role Purpose:
To update and maintain information on the organisation database.
To provide other data-entry and administrative assistance to the ICT training and communication support worker and other staff, as and when required. Full details at the VAC website.
To apply please send a recent CV to: alexcharles@vac.org.uk

Greenpeace Internships (up to 6) – starting Spring/Summer2016
Paid opportunity
Fixed Term for 6 months / Full Time (unless specified)
Islington, London, N1
Would you like to kick-start your career at an organisation that’s committed to offering opportunities to the local community and eager to embrace fresh ways of thinking? If so, we have a number of great development opportunities that will help you learn new skills, realise your true potential, and explore a career within environmental campaigning.
Greenpeace UK is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace. We’re looking for positive, enthusiastic individuals who are keen to explore a career within this unique sector and are looking for an opportunity to shine.
We’d particularly like to hear from people who live locally, people who want to make a difference, are looking to take that first step into the world of environmental campaigning and who would benefit from learning as they go.
Regardless of your background or specific area of interest, we could have just the challenge for you. We’re currently looking for interns to join us in the areas of events, fundraising, campaigns, politics, logistics and mobilisation.
To apply please visit our website. Closing date: 23rd March 2016

Invitation to tender: Administrator for KOVE Community Action 10th May ’16 to 30th June ’17
Contract value: Max £3,324 (fixed price – costed at an average of 15 hours a month).
Purpose of the commission: To provide regular sessional support to the Coordinator of KOVE’s Community Action project; to supervise the collection and management of activity data on a continuous basis; to deliver parts of KOVE’s outreach programmes when necessary and appropriate. KOVE Community Action is funded through Ageing Better in Camden and funded by the National Lottery.
KOVE (Kilburn Older Voices Exchange) is a dynamic community action group run by older people. We aim to give a collective voice for older people over issues and concerns that they raise. As partners of Ageing Better in Camden we are committed to an asset based community development approach in our projects to help reduce isolation and loneliness including an age friendly environment and developing community forums.
• Proposals must be submitted by no later than 5pm on April 5th 2016
• Interviews will be held on Wednesday, April 19th 2016
• The successful applicant will be notified by midday on April 20thth 2016.
• The start date is Monday, May 10rd 2016.
All enquiries and for a copy of the tender application document to Mel Wright, Coordinator, KOVE: melwillwright@gmail.com

Camden Community Connectors
Tackling social isolation among older people
Camden Community Connectors is a new six year project working across Camden to tackle social isolation and loneliness among older people. Our team of five local Area Coordinators is working with volunteers to identify and support people aged 60+ and help them reconnect to local activities and meet new people. We’re also building up an accessible ‘asset map’ of all services that support older people in Camden. We’d love to hear from you if you want to work with us, refer an older person, volunteer or if you just want to know more.
We’re part of the Ageing Better in Camden programme funded by Big Lottery. To find out more, check out our website or call us free on 0800 161 5716 .

Volunteer Treasurer role at Ransackers
We need a treasurer for an exciting 1 year project (and beyond): We are a small not – for –profit run by volunteers : we promote serious education for older people
The role includes: Keeping all accounts and proof of income & spend during and after project end, plus participation in budget creation for funding bids
Contact: hfarnworth@gmail.com or annateresalefort7@gmail.com

Are you looking to employ an assistant to help with your care needs? CamdenPAs can help you.
CamdenPAs.org.uk is a new service that makes it easy to find a personal assistant (PA) and puts you in control of your care and support.
If you have care needs, you can employ a PA to help you to live as independently as possible.
CamdenPAs features an online ‘marketplace’ for you to browse through a list of profiles of PAs in the borough. Profiles give details about the services they provide, their skills, experience and personal interests.
You can look through the list to find suitable matches and choose someone you like to help support you.
When you find a match you can contact the PA to arrange an interview and see how you get on. If you like them you can then work out contract details such as hours, duties and wages, and hire them.
If you do not find anyone suitable, you can set up your own a profile describing your requirements and interests, for PAs to look through and contact you.
You can employ a PA whether you receive a direct payment or fund your own care. If you receive direct payments you can get support with the employment from Personalised Support In Camden or AgeUK Camden.
Become a PA
If you’re a PA looking for work or are just starting out, CamdenPAs can help you. As well as helping you finding a job, the site features advice on looking for work, becoming a PA and where to get training.
Why not set up your profile today? Find out more, visit: camdenpas.org.uk or phone: 020 7278 4437

Socially Responsible Recruiting
A new, award-winning skills matching service that connects employers with skilled and experienced people to do one-off or part-time jobs has launched in Camden, with a strong social benefit ethic.
“There is a very large number of people in Camden who are fantastically skilled and work-ready but are off the radar to employers because they’re not looking for full-time work and aren’t constantly scouring the job ads,” says Jonathan Collie, founder of Trading Times.
These people are highly skilled over 50s, and family carers. Trading Times brings them to you. It’s free to candidates. It costs you only £35, and only when you are connected to the perfect candidates.
Paul Fordham of Abbey Community Centre in Camden said: “”We posted our occasional job opportunity on Trading Times because we at the Abbey Community Centre recognise the value of the flexibility that can come with age. Trading Times offers a tailored means to directly target opportunities at an older group that the vast majority of other job sites simply do not seem to tap.”
Register at https://tradingtimes.org.uk/ and let Trading Times match you with the right local people for your needs.

Find Jobs and Volunteering opportunities at https://www.vac.org.uk/

How to use the Local Offer website
The Local Offer website is designed to be simple and easy to use. There are also a number of features to ensure the website is as accessible as possible. But, to help make it even easier, there are some short videos with instructions and tips on how to best use and navigate around the Local Offer website.

SHAK has Room and IT Suite for Hire
Room hire for meeting , training and it suite
Price starts from £20 per hour
Conference room for up to 30 people
Board room for up to 16 people
IT suitE for up to 12 people with laptops
Flexible room layout set-up, recently renovated, projector and laptop, flip chart & white board, coffee & tea facilities, full disability access, microwave
In NW8 Boundary Road
Please call SHAK on 0207 372 2949 or 079 8689 7629 for availability and prices

Henna has started a new Befriending Service to reach out to the most vulnerable women and men in London.
Our aim for running this project is to build confidence, reduce isolation and improve health of older Asian women and men. The service includes weekly home visits by volunteers, and regular programmes of healthy living activities within the centre.
Older Asian women and men (over 75), who live alone or are housebound will benefit from the support offered by our Befriending service. We currently support Urdu, Gujarati, Bengali, Punjabi, English, Arabic, Farsi and Hindi language speakers. Henna’s “befrienders” worker and volunteers pay regular visits to the most vulnerable older Asian women and men in the community. On site, we run a regular schedule of exercise classes, health promotion, advice and listening services. Our goal is to act as a bridge between isolated ladies and the services offered by Henna and of statutory and voluntary sector agencies.
Contact: Manisha Dewan, Volunteer Coordinator, Henna Asians Women’s Group
Abbey Community Centre, 222C Belsize Road, London, NW6 4DJ
Email: manisha_hennaorg@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 020 7372 9860 Website: www.hennaorg.co.uk

Deaf Achieve
This is a Big Lottery funded project that will continue to deliver free workshops, health groups, job clubs, travel groups, financial capability training and one to one support until 2018. These are for the deaf community, aged 18-65, living in any of the London boroughs. If want to know more information about Deaf Achieve please contact: deafachieve2@royaldeaf.org.uk.

Desk to rent at Camden Federation of Private Tenants (CFPT)
Rent a desk by the hour in our new Kentish Town office. For more details, call Robert Taylor on 020 7383 0151, email rtaylor@cfpt.org.uk or go to our website at: http://cfpt.org.uk/rent-a-desk-by-the-hour/

Office Space for Hire
Camden Cypriot Women’s Organisation in Kentish Town, have office space for hire within a community building which is centrally located, The building is a few minutes walk from Kentish Town tube and mainline services as well as various bus stops.
The office, which is spacious is roughly 6 metres square, fits 4 desks freely and has a corridor which is also good for use, would be suitable for meetings or one to one sessions. Both spaces are light and airy and a viewing is highly recommended.
The building has step free access.
For further information or to view, please call Koula Ioannou on Tel: 0207 267 7194 or email koula@ccwo.org.uk

Camden Consultations
You can find all Camden consultation on the Wearecamden consultation hub.

FREE VAC Membership for Unfunded Groups: Voluntary Action Camden Small organisations with no paid staff and a turnover of less than £1,500 can now join for FREE. To take advantage of this offer just fill in the membership on the online form here.